Stories

Insights from our team, our approach to investing, company news and announcements.
These stories are a deep dive into what drives us.

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Insights
Watch Dr Robert Powell talk about the concept of harmony
May 30, 2023
Harmony is when you bring the right people together with the right ideas, the right resources, and the right level ofunderstanding, so you can increase the chances of success. But with deep tech, its not as easy as it sounds. Dr Robert Powell explains.
Perspectives
New Zealand fern
May 24, 2023
With the release of the Technology Investment Network's (TIN) 2023 report into Aotearoa New Zealand’s tech investment ecosystem and those who are most active in it, we thought we'd provide some insights into why NZ needs more foreign investment and why deep tech is an attractive investment proposition..
Insights
Kieran Jina discussing commercialisation
May 23, 2023
Often people define commercialisation as taking the company or technology to 'the next step or level', and they're not wrong, but importantly you need a roadmap and a team who are always thinking about the next step, and the one after, and the one after that.
News
Upstream has developed Marker C to triage grey zone patients
May 17, 2023
Pacific Channel leads a $2m investmet into Upstream Medical Technologies to support the advancement of a ground-breaking diagnostic marker for heart disease
News
Investing in decarbonisation technologies
May 17, 2023
Pacific Channel and Singpore-based venture capital fund, TRIREC sign a MOU to drive innovation, foster growth, and unlock new opportunities with a specific focus on tech that will reshape the future of our environment
Perspectives
Image under microscope
May 16, 2023
Unleasing deep tech potential. This article examines the importance of understanding the technology and the surrounding patent landscape.
Perspectives
Dew drops on a leaf
May 11, 2023
Safeguarding our environment is a hotly debated topic, and quite rightly, as it’s one of the most pressing issues that humankind faces. There is no single solution or set of solutions that will reverse the impact climate change is having on our environment, and on our future. This is why the whole of society needs to get involved – change can’t just be up to the few, the ‘many’ have to come together to play a part. In this article we examine the role specialised venture capital plays in advancing these solutions.
Investments
Vortex
Apr 26, 2023
At the time, Neil and Richard weren’t looking for a huge capital investment- they wanted enough to prove the concept worked. Like all deep-tech innovations, there’s always a risk that the investment might not pay off, but it’s important to ask, ‘What if it does?’
Investments
deep tech image
Apr 6, 2023
Ever since our first investment in 2020, our long-term vision for Orbis Diagnostics has been that it could be the solution to a multi-billion-dollar, global problem. Here’s why we invested.
Perspectives
shaping tomorrow spotlight on dictionary page
Apr 3, 2023
As a deep-tech venture capital fund, we are commonly asked how we know “what potential investments will have a measurable, and sustainable influence on our future and provide a return to our investors?”
Thinking
Deep tech venture capital abstract visual
Apr 11, 2023
Dr Ashwath Sundaresan is incredibly passionate about the future of our environment and leads our investments that focus on clean tech and advanced engineering.
Perspectives
blue swirly image
Mar 8, 2023
When we get to the point where we are comfortable talking about founders, researchers, and entrepreneurs in their own right rather than adding ‘male’ or ‘female’ in front to define the founder or entrepreneur, we [and to clarify, ‘we’ refers to the venture capital sector] will be truly embracing equity.
News
Kitea Health
Feb 24, 2023
The company behind the world’s first implantable long-term brain pressure sensor, New Zealand start-up Kitea Health, has secured $6m funding from investors to scale its clinical trial programme and accelerate entry into global markets.
Perspectives
Waves behind a boat
Feb 15, 2023
The day we first established the deep-tech venture capital company, the name Pacific Channel worked. And it still fits today. It’s a true representation of what our team continues to offer researchers, innovators, and investors.
News
Koru
Dec 19, 2022
Led by Blair Jamieson and Lance Iwikau, Tāmata Hauhā works with Māori landowners to provide strategies and practical funding to develop unproductive land into productive assets.
News
female founder
Dec 19, 2022
Emerald adds “Our goal with this award is to encourage more women to enter the commercialisation space. By providing them access to the right people, the right support and the right skills and networks, we’re helping shape the next generation of founders and bringing more diversity to the development of research."
Thinking
Image of digital connections
Dec 16, 2022
When Pacific Channel finds a deep-tech innovation they think is really exciting, and makes an investment, Steph and his team first reaches out to potential corporate acquirers globally to confirm there is interest should the innovation be successfully developed. If Pacific Channel decides to invest Steph and his team then reach out to select investors in New Zealand and around the world and say, “hey, this is what we’re investing in and why, do you want to co-invest with us?”.
Perspectives
Sun rising over mountains and lake
Nov 29, 2022
Entrepreneurs are the centre of economic growth and innovation and we’re committed to supporting early-stage entrepreneurs to rapidly scale and innovate their technologies as they build globally successful, category-defining businesses to deliver solutions to some of our most pressing global challenges.
Investments
View of interconnected earth from space
Dr Ashwath Sundaresan
Aug 9, 2022
Geospatial Analysis + Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) is a new field of study that combines geospatial methodologies with data science in solutions estimated to be worth over $200b in the next five years. GeoAI is increasingly seen as a foundational technology across many industries, from healthcare to energy, improving public health outcomes and population well-being to ensuring environmental compliance and optimising physical assets and infrastructure.
News
Investments
Cetogenix machinery
Jul 12, 2022
Pacific Channel is excited to be leading a $4.5m seed round into Rotorua-based clean-tech company Cetogenix. There is a lot to love about Cetogenix - it’s an excellent example of how new biotechnology can enable the building of an attractive business while also accelerating decarbonisation goals.
Perspectives
Female scientist
Mar 8, 2022
VC’s are definitely making a concerted effort to increase gender equality but we need to do more to make sure females don’t fall through the gaps.
Perspectives
Toilet seat in space
Dr Ashwath Sundaresan
Mar 4, 2022
As a deeptech VC, we often see a variety of businesses and companies solving extremely complex problems. Many of the scientists and entrepreneurs we talk to know a lot more than us about their specific subject matter. The first conversation I have is often exciting – these people have dedicated a large chunk of their lives in this new venture and are excited by the possibilities and impact it brings.
News
Investments
Female scientist
Dr Ashwath Sundaresan
Dec 8, 2021
Pacific Channel is delighted to have led the seed round for TasmanIon, a new spinout from Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) focussing on commercialising new aluminium ion batteries.
News
Person diving into blue water in the Pacific Islands
Nov 16, 2021
We’ve helped the Talalelei Life Futures Funds since its inception in 2018. It began when Talalelei died saving a Chinese New Zealander, caught in a rip on the south coast of Samoa. To honour Tala’s memory and his life-giving spirit, the fund offers scholarships to young Samoans into tertiary education, an otherwise unattainable path to a better life.
News
Pacific Channel invest in Certusbio Technology
Oct 16, 2021
CertusBio has secured a $4.6m investment to accelerate plans for growth in New Zealand and globally. The Christchurch-based company offers biosensor technology to food producers that improves production efficiencies and reduces the cost of treating wastewater.
Perspectives
Two EV cars charging
Dr Ashwath Sundaresan
Nov 17, 2021
I am cautiously optimistic about the future and am also excited to see New Zealand innovations addressing these big global challenges. As we shift beyond a “lithium only” future, I am excited to see how Pacific Channel can help foster these technologies and scientists to help scale these to a global audience.
News
Air NZ flight
Nov 16, 2021
Pacific Channel's portfolio company Orbis Diagnostics has partnered with Air New Zealand in a trial to test a group of their frontline staff for their COVID-19 immunity levels.
News
Smoke rising from forest
Jul 30, 2021
Pacific Channel is working to support Geo40 in their valuable work for the environment. The company’s early work on lithium attracted the attention of Bill Gates’ climate-change fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, who indirectly invested in Geo40 via Swedish affiliate Baseload Capital.
News
Circle of lights
Jul 30, 2021
Orbis is well placed to continue to progress and reach its planned market entry in Q1 2022. The company is currently preparing for a $10m Series A capital raise that is expected to launch in August 2021.
News
abstract blue stars
Jul 26, 2021
We’ve just announced our $2m investment into Quantifi Photonics’ $15m capital raise alongside Punakaiki Fund, Simplicity, Nuance Connected Capital, Aspire and K1W1.
News
Man and women discussing testing results
Mar 25, 2021
Orbis has outgrown its part time jumpstart team and requires a full-time commercial team.
News
black swirl
Mar 24, 2021
Vortex Power Systems is a venture formed out of the University of Auckland that is developing technology to generate electricity from waste heat emitted by thermal and industrial processes. Pacific Channel made an early investment in Vortex’s pre-seed round and the company delivered on its milestones.
News
Graphic of person unlocking phone
Mar 23, 2021
Orbis Diagnostics, an Auckland-based Pacific Channel portfolio company developing an immunity test for Covid-19, has just signed a significant partnership with French multinational IDEMIA.
News
Electricity pylons
Oct 15, 2020
Vortex Power Systems – a spin out from the University of Auckland’s Wind Engineering lab, is developing a novel method of generating electricity from wasted heat, has achieved a key milestone in validating its technology. Pacific Channel Fund I led the first round of investment into the company to enable it to undertake a proof of concept to validate the key to its technology.
News
Horse racing steroid testing
Oct 15, 2020
InsituGen is developing a novel test which we believe will revolutionise steroid testing. InsituGen was formed around this innovation by Dr Heather and Otago Innovation with funding and support from Pacific Channel
News
People moving in an airport
Oct 15, 2020
Orbis Diagnostics, a Pacific Channel Fund II portfolio company, is aiming to reduce this global and economic impact through providing peace of mind through immunity testing will re-enable movement during a pandemic.
News
Lake
Oct 12, 2020
We are proud to announce that $45m has now been committed to Pacific Channel Fund II; an NZ$50m early-stage investment fund focused on science and advanced engineering ‘deep-tech’ companies in New Zealand.
News
neural connections
Dec 12, 2019
Pacific Channel has released its updated internal analysis of Living Cell Technologies (ASX:LCT).
News
Image of grey stones
Dec 5, 2018
Based on 9 years of research, Hot Lime Labs are commercialising a patented system that will recover clean CO2 from renewable forestry and agricultural waste. Pacific Channel is an existing investor in the company.
News
Cow ready to milk
Dec 5, 2018
Mastaplex’s product provides dairy farmers with mastitis diagnosis and antibiotic treatment recommendations. Mastaplex is currently seeking up to $950,000 of new equity investment. Mastaplex has now raised $720,000 and is seeking the remaining ~$230,000.
News
Waterfall over rocks New Zealand imagery
Dec 5, 2018
Upstream has developed a novel technology platform built on years of research which provides a new class of diagnostic test designed for use in emergency departments. The potential market size for this test is estimated to be US$2bn.
News
Cows grazing in New Zealand fields
Nov 21, 2018
Will Charles, the Executive Director of Commercialisation said “we are delighted for Cather and her team, and very pleased that working with local investors like Pacific Channel is starting to bear fruit in getting the great science done at the University of Auckland into global supply chains. The recycling of capital is critical to our ability to continue to fund the next generation of great start-ups, of which Cather and her lab are generators of.”
News
Certusbio employee with monitor screen
Oct 23, 2018
CertusBio’s lead product, Milk-Guard, is the first real-time interference-free biosensor monitoring device aimed at the dairy processing industry. The biosensor detects lactose and milk in dairy processing wastewater and puts control in the hands of process operators to dramatically reduce processing loses.
News
Male sitting at computer
May 25, 2018
Pacific Channel will be hosting one law student, who will spend up to 200 hours in its office this year being mentored by Associate Lachlan Nixon, Associate, a former law student himself.
News
Pig
May 25, 2018
NZeno is a kiwi company aiming to supply pig kidneys suitable for human transplantation. Pacific Channel has been working with NZeno since the company’s inception and has invested in its seed round.
News
Green leaf close up
May 25, 2018
Living Green is pleased to confirm that it has received an investment commitment of NZ$3.2m from a strategic corporate investor introduced to the company by Pacific Channel. The investor is one of Shanghai’s 30 largest corporates with extensive distribution channels across Asia.
News
Blue swirl
Dec 4, 2017
Engender believes its technology can be brought to market with low capital and low operating costs. Three of the world’s largest artificial insemination companies have signed option-to-license agreements.
News
close up of cow
Dec 4, 2017
Regen is a Agtech start-up that provides specialist software services to farmers for daily, accurate nitrogen, water and effluent irrigation recommendations. The company has just secured ~$1.1m of investment, which was underwritten and led by Pacific Channel.
News
Engender and Orbis Diagnostics secure funding
Sep 22, 2017
Congratulations to Professor Cather Simpson, scientific founder of Engender Technologies and Orbis Diagnostics, for securing over $12.8 million of new science funding announced this week by Prime Minister Bill English and Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith.
News
Cather Simpson Engenders Chief Scientist
Jun 16, 2016
Engender’s Chief Scientist, Associate Professor Cather Simpson, has been named a primary industry champion. This appointment confirms that Engender’s technology addresses a significant market need.
News
3 Cows grazing
Jun 3, 2016
Engender has just closed a $4.5 million capital raise led by Pacific Channel. With an original target of $2.5 million, the company closed fully over subscribed.
News
Mountains over lake in New Zealand
Jun 26, 2015
The grant report is an annual guide to securing international grant funding for Australasian life sciences research. The 2015 version contains a review of grant sources from the EU, US and Japan.
News
Knitting Lab
Jun 16, 2015
Read about Footfall’s journey in New Zealand from finding capital investment, securing our licensing deal and building on our IP portfolio. CEO Roland Toder also discusses the importance of raising capital and their current investment round which is now open.
News
Green leaves
May 7, 2015
Living Green has proven itself as a commercial scale manufacturer and marketer of green products sold through both industrial and consumer channels. Continued growth across the company is inevitable to meet the demand generated from these latest signings. To fund the resource required Living Green will seek up to $2million of new equity investment with an offer opening in coming weeks.
News
Engender research
May 7, 2015
The staggered deal provides Engender with US$250,000 of resources upfront to consolidate the microfluidic chip and conduct trials, plus a further potential US$1.5million of investment and resources to develop its unique technology to prototypes.
News
Fabric patch sewn on (intelligent fabric)
May 7, 2015
After raising initial equity capital and providing its interim management team, Pacific Channel was delighted to assist New Zealand smart fabric technology start-up, Footfalls & Heartbeats secure a significant licensing deal with one of the world’s largest medical compression therapy companies, Medi GmbH&Co.KG
News
Human image of lungs
May 7, 2015
The medicine development company has just closed a successful million dollar plus fundraising round and has just announced an extension to the crowdfunding component to May 18 so that sizeable investors have time to place the funding required. Breathe Easy is using crowdfunding platform Snowball Effect to raise the final $350,000 needed to take its new cystic fibrosis therapy, Citramel, into Phase 1/IIa clinical trial.
News
Pohutakawa flower
Dec 17, 2013
As the end of the year fast approaches, Pacific Channel would like to thank you for your engagement during the year and extend season’s greetings.
News
University of Auckland building
Dec 17, 2013
The University of Auckland Business School is offering a Masters course in commercialisation and entrepreneurship through a programme tailor made for business professionals.
Perspectives
People playing rugby at sunset
Brent Ogilvie
Dec 17, 2013
What it taught me is that success comes from having a committed group of people with a shared and meaningful mission and a lot of support behind them
News
Blair Pritchard
Dec 17, 2013
Pacific Channel is delighted to announce that Blair Pritchard is joining the company in the role of partner, working alongside Brent Ogilvie.
News
Mountainous peaks
Dec 17, 2013
This is a significant achievement for Pacific Channel and follows its initiative in 2012 to work with ICE HOUSE to bring together a group of approximately 30 ICE Angel Chinese investors to create a forum in which high net worth Chinese can assess investment opportunities in early stage New Zealand companies.
News
abstract blue image
Dec 17, 2013
D’Arcy Polychrome won a Grand Awards at the 2013 StartmeupHK awards in Hong Kong. The Auckland-based company is backed by Pacific Channel, the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund and private investors. It works closely with Callaghan Innovation to refine and produce its revolutionary dry, easily dispersible, polychromatic colour granules used for colouring building materials such as paints, concrete and plaster.
News
Abstract image with face and sewing machine
Dec 17, 2013
Footfalls & Heartbeats Limited (FHL) has closed oversubscribed – at $1.5 million – with investors from New Zealand, Australia and the United States for what has become one of the most successful capital raising rounds of 2013 for early stage New Zealand technology companies.
News
Model of foot wearing sock in Footfall design lab
Dec 16, 2013
Based in Auckland, FHL is commercialising world-leading textile sensor technology which has a multitude of market applications. Footfalls & Heartbeats Limited (FHL) seeks a senior staff member who can drive product development for this exciting, early stage, high-growth company.
News
Footfalls close up of fabric representing intelligent textiles
Jan 11, 2013
FHL is developing intelligent textiles to allow remote physiological monitoring,capturing heart rate,respiration & joint movement data in real-time. Pacific Channel becomes a cornerstone shareholder in Footfalls and Heartbeats Limited.
News
Dianne Gleeson
Jul 28, 2011
A director of Landcare Research’s DNA diagnostic facility, EcoGene®, has won the inaugural Women in Science Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Pacific Channel, New Zealand’s leading venture development and investment firm and the Association for Women in the Sciences (AWIS).
News
Young seedling
Jul 6, 2011
Pacific Channel Limited, New Zealand’s leading venture development and investment firm focused on early-stage life science and clean-tech innovation, announced today the closing of $350,000 new equity investment into Regen which it led with AngelHQ, Wellington’s angel investment club in exchange for equity in the company.
News
Pacific Channel invests in Caldera Health for diagnosing prostate cancer
Jul 6, 2011
Pacific Channel Limited, New Zealand’s leading venture development and investment firm focused on early-stage life science and clean-tech innovation led $1 million of new equity investment for Caldera Health Ltd, enabling the company to advance development of its technology to diagnose prostate cancer.
News
New Zealand Scenery including river through native bush
May 18, 2011
Pacific Channel managing director Brent Ogilvie has gained more than $1.8 million in capital for two companies he took through the Unlimited Investment Challenge.
News
Splash of milk
Dec 9, 2010
Pacific Channel Director, Brent Ogilvie, said “the sale of Somnaceutics’ business assets was very pleasing because it demonstrates that start-up companies based on New Zealand science can be commercially successful and generate returns for investors in a short period”.
News
Cows grazing in New Zealand
Sep 3, 2010
Pacific Channel congratulates Ms Bridgit Hawkins and Re:Gen Limited for winning the TUANZ Innovation Rural award with Re:Gen, a dairy-effluent management system.
News
Woman sleeping
May 28, 2010
Taiwanese trials of a New Zealand sleep-enhancing milk product proved there was interest. But joint venture partners New Image Group and Somnaceutics have been stunned by the demand for the milk powder-based drink since it launched six weeks ago.
News
glass of milk
Dec 23, 2009
Somnaceutics and NZX listed New Image Group Limited agree to trial sales of Somnaceutics sleep-enhancing beverage in Taiwan.
News
Human brain with connections
Aug 5, 2009
Pacific Channel Ltd has supported Living Cell Technologies, a New Zealand global leader in cell therapy, in raising A$4.2 million through the issue of new shares. Pacific Channel managed the New Zealand side of the trans-Tasman capital raising for LCT which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
News
Milk
Apr 6, 2009
Somnaceutics, co-founded by Pacific Channel, won the Science Innovation Award at the NZ Natural Products Industry Summit for its natural sleep enhancing milk product.
News
Image looking down onto wastewater treatment facility
Mar 6, 2009
Pacific Channel led investment of $350k in April 2011 to fund the development of SciTOX Ltd’s waste toxicity measurement device.
News
Microscopic image of cells
Feb 6, 2009
Pacific Channel has provided business planning and product development support to a British company, Indigix, which raised seed capital of £930,000 (NZ$1.926 million).The seed investment was led by London-based Imperial Innovations Group plc (AIM: IVO), a leading technology commercialisation and investment company, alongside Kurma BioFund, a Paris-based life sciences fund.
News
Compass
Jan 6, 2009
Pacific Channel Limited’s offer of 100 free hours of investment advice to New Zealand life-science and engineering-technology entities with the potential to create jobs has now closed. Pacific Channel’s offer’s first recipient is an engineering technology company Nova Eco Tech Limited. Nova Eco Tech, which develops retrofit systems to enable motor vehicles to significantly reduce fuel consumption, will receive 50 free hours of investment advice from Pacific Channel.

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